Existence and uniqueness of generalized solutions to hyperbolic systems with linear fluxes and stiff sources

Motivated by the modeling of boiling two-phase flows, we study systems of balance laws with a source term defined as a discontinuous function of the unknown. Due to this discontinuous source term, the classical theory of partial differential equations (PDEs) is not sufficient here. Restricting to a simpler system with linear fluxes, a notion of generalized solution is developed. An important point in the construction of a solution is that the curve along which the source jumps, which we call the boiling curve, must never be tangent to the characteristics. This leads to exhibit sufficient conditions which ensure the existence and uniqueness of a solution in two different situations: first when the initial data is smooth and such that the boiling curve is either overcharacteristic or subcharacteristic; then with discontinuous initial data in the case of Riemann problems. A numerical illustration is given in this last case.